The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is Israel's neighbor to the East. It is a Muslim country inhabited by Arabs. It has a very different look and feel than Israel.
Because the United States has historically been a long-time ally of Israel, Americans are looked upon with caution, to say the least. This was shown by the presence of an armed police officer on our bus. At the same time, Jordanian merchants see the opportunity for sales when they see American tourists.
Jordan is much more barren than Israel and a good part of it is flat desert. The people are much poorer and the homes are much simpler. The Arabs like to haggle prices when selling their goods, while the Israelis tend to be more straightforward.
The only Biblically-related stop we made in Jordan was at Mt. Nebo where Moses died. Although the day was hazy, we got a good feel for the views he had of the Promised Land when he breathed his last.
